The look on UFC Welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre’s face at the press conference following his win over interim champion Carlos Condit at UFC 154 is testament to where one of the greatest fighters of all-time currently stands. Sitting with an ice pack to his head and cuts and bruises below both eyes, St. Pierre said that he felt pain during his title fight against Condit, a win that marked his return to the Octagon following an 18-month vacation that was mostly the result of a torn ACL. While St. Pierre proved why he has long been considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world by coming out on top of his war with Condit, that bout also revealed something that many sports betting experts predicted before he even returned to the Octagon, which is that St. Pierre still has a ways to go before he gets back to his previous form.

It was a roundhouse kick to the side of the head in the third round that knocked St. Pierre off his feet and nearly ended his night, but the champion somehow managed to survive the kick and a flurry of punches to remain alive. For more than an online sportsbook moment it looked as though Condit would finish the fight and knock out GSP to become the undisputed UFC Welterweight champion, but St. Pierre managed to stay alive and battle his way back to his feet before he regained control. St. Pierre was able to regain his composure and bounce back over the final two online betting rounds to ensure victory, but that minute period where he was ambushed by Condit was the perfect illustration that it will take time to get back on top.

There were still signs of the old St. Pierre, including successfully landing all seven of his takedown attempts and the dominant ground game that ensued after each of them. St. Pierre looked bigger than he ever has before, but it was the “ring rust” he talked about after the fight that will need to be overcome. GSP referred to the “feel of the Octagon” and how different it was to be back after all of that time, and that is something that he will have to work his way back toward over the coming year. After the five rounds the judges scored the fight 49-46, 50-45, and 50-45 in favor of the unanimous decision victory for St. Pierre. Despite the result was there were those few vulnerable moments existed, and will be remembered by the champion and his entourage.

That entourage was referred to by St. Pierre when he talked about whether or not he would accept a proposed super fight with UFC Middleweight champion Anderson Silva, as GSP talked about what would be the best decision for his career. There is no reason for St. Pierre to fight Silva unless he is at the top of his game, and it is pretty clear that will take some time. UFC 154 was a reminder of why the UFC Welterweight champion is still considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, but at the same time, it will serve as a reminder that St. Pierre still needs time to get back to the top of his game. For all of the latest UFC news and odds, be sure to check out the best online betting sites.